Page 36 of Holiday Unscripted
“Trust me, I get calls daily with a mandatory guilt trip.” I smile at him, walking to the tree. “Pass me the lights from the back, we can tag team.” We work in unison, putting on the lights, and we’re at the end and he plugs it in, I can’t help but smile at our hard work. “It’s so pretty,” I state, folding my hands together and putting my hands to my chin.
He stands by me as he takes it in. “Not bad. Now let’s get this motherfucker decorated.” I throw my head back and let out a laugh.
“Okay,” I agree looking in the totes that are all open. “Why don’t we put your favorites in the front,” I suggest, “and then the rest in the back where no one sees them.” I walk from tote to tote, seeing all the special ornaments his parents picked out, and I’m sure he has memories with all of them. “Which ones are the most special?” I look in and see him reach a tray of ornaments.
“These,” he says, holding one up and it’s painted gold but in the front is a family with a mother, father, and son on a sled. “My mom made these herself,” he explains, looking at them. “Every single year she would paint a couple more.”
“Then those go right in the middle,” I tell him, grabbing the one from his hand, “so you can see them.”
He doesn’t say anything as I hang the first one. “What do you think?” I ask him when I walk back to him as he looks at the tree.
“I like it.” He looks down at me. “I like it a lot.” I smile up at him. “I’d like it a lot more without the music, but now I’ll forever have this memory.”
“Put them on.” I take the box from him. “Don’t worry, I’ll let you know if you aren’t putting it on the right spot.”
“I have no doubt you will,” he replies, taking one out and arranging it, and each time he tells me a little story about the ornament.
It takes way longer than either of us thinks it will to finish decorating. When it’s all done, it looks like a tree that is filled with love and memories and not the ones that look like they just came out of a catalog. “What do you think?” I ask him as I step back.
“I think this is the best tree I’ve ever had.” He sits on the couch next to Whiskey, rubbing his head.
“Good.” I smile at him. “I’m going to go and get in the shower, then head to sleep.”
He just looks at me and I’m about to walk out of the room when I stop. “Good night, Nate,” I say, and he nods at me. I know I should just leave it at that. I know I should leave it alone, but something in me stops. “For the record,” I start, wringing my hands together out of nerves, “I didn’t know about you and Britt because I didn’t want to ask about you, but not because I didn’t want to know. I just couldn’t.” His mouth opens. “Just thought you should know.”
CHAPTER 14
Nate
YOU MAKE IT FEEL LIKE CHRISTMAS
December 18th
My eyes flutter open to the sound of Elizabeth’s voice. “Did you sleep good?” Her voice is soft. “I’ll let you out and then I’ll fix your breakfast.” I turn over on the bed and look out the window, seeing it’s light outside. When I reach over to grab my phone from the bedside table, I see it’s just after eight thirty.
I put my phone back on the bedside table before just staring off into the distance. Last night was a good one. One filled with lots of memories of my parents. Some I forgot about. Some I’d remembered so vividly it was like I was back with them again. It’s never happened to me before. I would remember things time and time again, but I have never talked about the memories with someone. They just sat lingering in the black box in my mind, untouched, where I had put all my precious memories I’ve had in my life, including the night that I spent with her.
I sat on the couch I don’t know for how much longer after she left me. Her words penetrated through and then brought up all these questions I wasn’t sure I wanted the answers to. I had to let it go.
“Get out of there,” I hear her hiss and look over at the open door, “if you break anything…” Her hiss is now a growl. “I will toss your ass outside.” I flip the covers off me, getting out of bed. “Oh my God, what are you doing?” Her voice is frantic, and I walk out of my bedroom door and down the steps. “Get the fuck out of there.” She is back to hissing. “I’m locking you out of my bedroom tonight.”
I walk into the kitchen and look over at the tree, finding her standing there in tight-as-fuck black booty shorts. Her ass is filling them all out, and my cock—hard from waking up—is now hard for another fucking reason. “What is going on?” I watch her reaching into the tree, trying not to knock anything over.
“The fucking cat,” she snaps, worry filling her face. “Baby fucking Cat is stuck in the fucking tree. Sleeping there like he lives there.”
I scratch my head. “Tell him to come out.” She moves away from the tree as I get closer to her. Baby Cat is literally lying across five branches just chilling, as if this tree is meant just for him.
“Just tell him to come out,” she mocks my words, “like I didn’t already try that. I don’t think he’ll listen to me.” I put my hands on my hips. “He’s not one to care about authority.” She turns back to talk to him. “Find someplace else to sleep tonight.” She points at him sleeping on the second-to-the-top row of branches.
“I think he just did.” I try not to laugh at her glare as she turns and storms away. “If I were you,” I lean in and whisper, “I’d get the fuck out of the tree. It’s better to be in her bed than a fucking tree.”
“What are you telling him?” she asks me as I hear the sound of the cupboards slamming shut. “You better be threatening him.”
I shake my head and hear Whiskey at the door, his nails scratching to come in. I walk over to open the door as Elizabeth is busy in my kitchen. I haven’t had a woman in my kitchen since Britt. I especially have never had a woman in this house. But seeing her there, it’s strange to say that I don’t see her anywhere else. I also don’t see anyone else but her here with me.
“Good morning,” I greet as Whiskey excitedly comes in bouncing on his paws around my legs as I pet his side. “You left me in bed the minute she got up, didn’t you?” I look up to see Elizabeth bending over, putting his water bowl down. Her ass is right in my face practically. I groan and look back down at the dog. “I would too.”
The smell of coffee is filling the room as she moves around the kitchen, taking out the mugs and then the milk. “What are the plans today?” she asks me and I shrug as I walk over to one of the stools and pull it out. “Let me get my phone.”
